UK man armed with crossbow arrested near PNG after trying to flee Australia on a jet ski

A man, possibly armed with a crossbow and carrying additional fuel and supplies, had been seen launching a jet ski at Pundsand Bay on Cape York. Photo / AFP

A wanted UK man has been arrested after attempting to flee Australia on a jet ski while armed with a crossbow.

The 57-year-old man, subject to an outstanding warrant for drug-related charges in Western Australia, almost made the 140km journey across the Torres Strait from Cape York to Papua New Guinea before police caught up to him, AAP reports.

He was apprehended at mudflats on the eastern side of Saibai Island - just a few kilometres from Papua New Guinea.

Police were alerted by locals about a man possibly armed with a crossbow and carrying additional fuel and supplies launching a jet ski at Pundsand Bay, in far-north Queensland.

Australian Border Force, federal police and Queensland launched a co-ordinated response when they realised he may have been a wanted man.

Locals helped police track the man's path through the Torres Strait Islands, calling in with updates as he passed or landed on their islands.

"He gave it a red-hot go," Jock O'Keeffe of Queensland police told The Guardian.

"It's a bit unusual to try and get from Pundsand Bay all the way to PNG. He stuck out like the proverbial."

The man was finally arrested a few kilometres from his destination and was transported to Thursday Island to be held by Queensland police pending extradition to WA.

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Posted by Australian Federal Police on Tuesday, 26 March 2019

O'Keeffe confirmed the man was in possession of a crossbow throughout his journey but did not have a weapon with him when he was arrested.

The jet ski was towed to Saibai island.

ABF Commander Northern Command, Jo Crooks, said the arrest was the result of local intelligence sharing.

"This is a perfect example of local intelligence sharing, community support, Australian Border Operations Centre co-ordination and out maritime capability all working together to enable a quick and effective multi-agency response to a situation," Crooks said.

"Anyone who thinks they can either enter or leave Australia through the region without detection should think again."